'STAR WARS' AT 45: ENTER THE X-WING FIGHTER!

Red Five (and Artoo) continue their attack on the Death Star surface in this special image composition used for publicity and merchandising.

The fifteen minute countdown to the planet Yavin's destruction has begun, and the Rebels have sent out their flight of thirty X and Y-wing fighters to attack the fearsome Death Star battle station and destroy it via its thermal exhaust port weakness...

Originally created as a prototype model for Star Wars by Colin Cantwell, based on three craft ideas concocted in the most basic sense by George Lucas, the legendary X-wing fighter, an older vehicle in the saga's historical timeline pushed into upgrade service by the Rebellion, would be enhanced further in the design stakes by conceptualist Ralph McQuarrie, then refined further to its ultimate onscreen visage by the talented Joe Johnston at ILM, from 1975 into 1976.

The original Colin Cantwell prototype reference model.

Joe Johnston concept art for the revised X-wing fighter.

Design schematic - year and project unknown.

Dave Beasley, Steve Gawley and Joe Johnston with an in-development model at ILM's Model Shop.

The nose cone take shape.

Creating the articulated wings.

Adding refinement details.

The model kit needed to make one fighter.

Lorne Peterson with an unpainted model.

Either a lightweight model or one needing painting.

Two X's awaiting painting.

Rear detailing.

Droid technical position area view.

One of the original Blue Squadron models before the paint scheme and squadron colour became Red.

Close-up look at the fighter.

Red Leader and Red Five models.

A great shot of the models awaiting filming.

David Jones works on one of the iconic original models.

Ready for filming.

Filming Red Leader's X-wing.

Test with an X-wing model on strings.

The Dykstraflex at work.

Bruce Logan adjusts the model for filming.

Dennis Muren with two X-wings.

John Dykstra and colleagues during filming.

Pyrotechnic legend Joe Viskocil puts a charge in a model, watched by Joe Johnston.

The X-wing's rear charge explodes against blue screen filming.